


If Only You Were Where He Stands

by BlueBoxInTheDarkSky



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cuddling & Snuggling, Episode AU: s03e08-09 Human Nature/Family of Blood, F/M, Friendship, Martha Jones & Rose Tyler Friendship, Period-Typical Racism, Period-Typical Sexism, Rose Tyler Loves the Doctor, Rose never left the TARDIS, Rose-Centric, The Doctor Loves Rose Tyler
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:08:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23829622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueBoxInTheDarkSky/pseuds/BlueBoxInTheDarkSky
Summary: Basically a rewrite of Human Nature and The Family of Blood where Rose never got trapped in the parallel world but Martha came along for the ride.Adapted heavily from the episodes to the point where I've used the transcripts lolI obviously do not own Doctor Who, its episodes or any of the characters :)
Relationships: Martha Jones & Rose Tyler, Tenth Doctor | John Smith/Rose Tyler, Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler, The Doctor (Doctor Who) & Martha Jones, The Doctor (Doctor Who) & Rose Tyler, The Doctor (Doctor Who)/Rose Tyler
Comments: 12
Kudos: 59





	1. Hide

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Run and Hide For Your Life](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9302429) by [Rachel_Lu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachel_Lu/pseuds/Rachel_Lu). 



> Hi! This is my fist story of this type, but I hope that you enjoy it. Please leave your comments at the end. Feedback is appreciated!

It went by in a bit of a flash, really. One second Rose, The Doctor and Martha were all standing around and enjoying the sights of another alien planet and the next moment they were being chased all the way back to The TARDIS with The Doctor shouting frantically. “Get down!” They had to run as they normally did but this time they were putting up no attempt to stop them. Some sort of lasers or guns were being fired at them and the young woman found herself pulling Martha into The TARDIS with her arms covering the older woman. The door slammed shut behind them all and plunged them into an uncomfortable but short lived silence where Rose could hear nothing but the pounding of her racing heart in her ears. “Did they see you?! Either of you?!” The Time Lord exclaimed and Rose could swear that she had never seen him like this before. “Quickly!” The whole situation had put her into some sort of frozen state which his hurried speech pulled her from.

He was grabbing at her arms now, eyes darting between herself and Martha. “I don’t know!” Martha shouted, hands flying about as she tried to compose herself a little. They’d been in tough situations before but seeing The Doctor this frantic confused and concerned them both. 

He let go of Rose’s arms and turned to face Martha, running a hand through his short brown hair as he often did when he was thinking. “But did they see you?!” He was looking between them both again and Rose could tell that he was bursting with both energy and ideas. It scared her even more when she knew that he was thinking like this, when he was coming up with a plan that she did not know whether she’d like very much. 

“I don’t know,” Rose pitched in, worrying at her lip and flexing her hands. She was busy looking after Martha and most of the time The Doctor could look after himself. “I was too busy running.” 

His face became even more concerned, brows furrowing even tighter. “Martha, Rose, it’s important. Did they see your faces?” His tone was softer now and the blonde didn’t know whether to be more concerned or less. The cogs had finished turning in his mind and an idea was there. It scared her more.

“No, they couldn’t have!” Martha spoke up again and the younger female nodded in agreement. They were running away and Rose was too busy ushering Martha into The TARDIS while Martha was concerned about the safety of them both. 

That wild grin came back to his face for just a moment. “Off we go!” And then the lever was pulled and they were being flung about within the time vortex. Rose held tightly onto the console as The TARDIS stopped rattling a little. Her eyes flitted to The Doctor again and she found that the cogs in his mind were turning once again, tongue resting against the roof of his mouth before he darted to the screen and pulled it round, Martha and Rose going to look over his shoulders. A disgruntled noise left him as he started messing with The TARDIS’ controls while an alert began to blare throughout the control room. “They’re following us!” 

Rose gave him a little space as she thought, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. “How can they do that though? You’ve got a time machine.” She was trying not to shout in an attempt to calm the other two a little. Martha looked terrified and he looked immensely frustrated. 

He kept fiddling with The TARDIS and checking on the monitor. “Stolen technology,” He grumbled, getting even more agitated. “They've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator. They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe,” The sound of defeat that echoed within his voice was something that Rose rarely heard and she always hoped that she would never hear again. “They're never going to stop, unless..” He turned to them both with a terrified gleam to his eyes, hand running through his hair. “ I'll have to do it,” His eyes focused on Rose alone for a moment before he looked to Martha as well. “ Rose, Martha, you trust me, don't you?” 

“Of course.” Sounded one.

“Always have, always will.” Sounded the other, her voice as certain as it could be.

“Because it all depends on you.” Her heart sank as her mind rattled with thoughts. What did he mean? Why did they need to trust him? What was he planning?

It seemed like Martha was thinking the same things, her arms crossing over her chest as her black eyes watched him curiously. “What does? What are we supposed to do?” They watched him reach below the coral of the console itself and pull out a small, dulled silver pocket watch with some writing on it that was similar to the writing that appeared on the console screens. Gallifreyan.

He held the item up close to her face, cinnamon eyes as serious as she had ever seen them. “Take this watch, because my life depends on it,” He started, and Rose was probably even more confused as before. How could his life depend on a watch? “This watch.. This watch is me.” The two women nodded as the alien handed the small object to Rose, her fingers brushing over the cool metal as she followed him around the console.

“Right, okay, gotcha,” Martha rushed out before she glanced at Rose’s equally confused face. “No, hold on, completely lost.” Rose hummed in agreement and watched The Doctor’s face drop.

“Me too. What are you talking about, Doctor? What do you mean the watch is you?” She rushed out her words. As much as she didn’t know what was happening, she did know that time was of the essence. 

“Those creatures are hunters,” He started, trying to maintain eye contact with them both as best he could. He was even more scared than he was before. “They can sniff out anyone, and me being a Time Lord, well, I'm unique,” Rose would normally joke with him about how he was being all high and mighty but right now she knew that such uniqueness was not a good thing. He didn’t mean it in the pompous way that he sometimes did but this time it was a curse. “They can track me down across the whole of time and space.” That was definitely not good. They were hunting him, and there seemed to be no way for them to escape it. 

An exasperated sound left Martha’s lips as Rose felt her own throat go dry. “And the good news is?” There didn’t seem to be any good news but Rose, after all she’d been through with him, knew better than to just give up hope. 

“They can smell me, they haven't seen me,” So, they didn’t know what any of them looked like. Rose thought she was starting to figure out exactly what he was saying. “And their life span'll be running out, so we hide. Wait for them to die.”

She didn’t like that idea very much, but it was the only one they had. She trusted him. “But they can track us down, can’t they? Even if we hide, they’ll smell you.” She watched as he stood up straight and looked right into her eyes again and she could tell that he was trying to get a read on her. 

Then her eyes stopped looking at her, and it hurt that it seemed like he could no longer see her however she knew that it wasn’t a personal thing. “That's why I've got to do it,” Just when she was about to ask ‘What, Doctor? Have to do what?’ he spoke again. “I have to stop being a Time Lord. I'm going to become human.” He moved around the console again and pulled a small lever, a headset sort of thing slowly lowering down from the ceiling. “Never thought I'd use this. All the times I've wondered..” Apprehension riddled his voice as he spoke and of all the times Rose had heard him be scared, this was probably the time that scared her the most purely because she didn’t know what was going on. How could she help?

“What does it do?” She asked, watching as the Time Lord made his way around the console again and Rose couldn’t tell if he was fiddling with the controls purely to have something to do or whether he was actually doing something. 

The male sighed disparagingly as he took the watch from Rose’s hands. “Chameleon Arch. Rewrites my biology. Literally changes every single cell in my body. I've set it to human.” Two things hit her in that moment. Firstly, The Doctor could make himself human and secondly, he was really going to do it. He placed the watch into the Chameleon Arch and that’s when she realised just how quickly this was happening. Too fast. “Now, the Tardis will take care of everything. Invent a life story for me, find me a setting and integrate me. Can't do the same for you. You'll just have to improvise. I should have just enough residual awareness to let you both in.” Despite The Doctor’s words, a slight hum in the back of her mind that came from The TARDIS told her that he was wrong. That she’d find a place for her too, that she’d find a way to integrate her as well but she didn’t know just how he’d let her in. It’d be a little weird for her if she was his sister in the new world he created for himself. She realised, though, that this really wasn’t the time to be thinking such selfish thoughts. 

Martha, being the medical student that she was was concerned about one thing. “But, hold on. If you're going to rewrite every single cell, isn't it going to hurt?” Rose hadn’t even thought of that but as she watched him put the Arch on, she knew that it was going to be more than just a little painful. 

“Oh, yeah. It hurts.” He was putting on a brave face for them both and she knew that but if anything it made it worse because she knew that this was going to be so much worse. The next thing she knew, she was holding Martha in her arms as The Doctor screamed in unbearable agony as each and every cell, every atom of his existence, was rewritten. 

By the time he was on the floor, The TARDIS had come to land and everything was too quiet. The soft hum remained in the back of her mind as the machine tried to comfort her. ‘It will be okay, Rose Tyler. All in good time.’

~~~

Martha and herself had found a newspaper in the barn that they had landed in and the date had read ‘Saturday 6th September 1913’ which from the very start posed one immediate issue. They were both very out of their time and would have to not only adjust to The Doctor being a completely new person but also to new societal norms. “Rose, what are we going to do? Should we just wait until he wakes up?” She pursed her lips in thought.

As they walked back into The TARDIS, she realised that the machine probably disagreed as the man who used to be The Doctor was now dressed in a tweed jacket and other clothing that was time appropriate, even though the man himself was still unconscious. She realised that it was likely the work of the machine herself, and she smoothed a hand over the Time Rotor in gratitude. “I think the Old Girl wants us to be ready for when he wakes up,” A thought hit her. “Maybe the wardrobe is the place to start. She’ll probably ‘ve gotten some clothes out for us.” 

As they made their way to the wardrobe together, the darker woman scoffed lightly. “You talk about The TARDIS like it’s alive.”

“That’s because she is.” The younger woman replied. The conversation ended as they made their way into the wardrobe room (she silently thanked the Old Girl for moving it closer) and they found a bundle of clothing on either side of a divider. Rose was no stranger to historical dress at this point but she realised that Martha would likely need some help.

“What is all this stuff? How are we supposed to run in these layers?” Rose couldn’t exactly blame her for complaining.

“It’s surprisingly easy. The worst part is how warm it is,” They shot each other a small smile before they disappeared behind the dividers. A deep blue walking skirt paired with a long coat of the same colour as well as a waistcoat and a high-necked white blouse complete with ruffles and lace. She was more than used to how to get dressed into older clothing, though it still wasn’t her favourite thing to do. Chemise, drawers, corset, stockings, petticoat, blouse, skirt, waistcoat, coat. She thought that she would be exceptionally warm however the amount of clothing was probably appropriate for the time of year. “How are you doing, Martha?”

By the time she walked out from behind the divider and brushed down her coat, she noticed that the older woman was struggling slightly. “A little help?” Before long they were both dressed in time-appropriate clothing and they felt a little more confident in the situation, especially when they found two suitcases outside of the wardrobe room. “I guess these are for us,” She picked up the suitcase and turned to Rose. “Are you scared?” It was rare that Martha was anything but confident, even in her worst moments, so seeing her like this was a little disarming. 

“Of course I’m scared. I think you’d be mad if you weren’t,” Martha laughed a little at least. “At least we’re not alone. We have each other, yeah? We’ll be alright.” The older woman pulled Rose into her hug and the blonde realised that it was probably for Martha’s benefit too. 

Once they released each other they walked back into the control room, The Doctor still passed out on the floor. A blip sounded from the console screen and the women made their way over to it to find a picture of The Doctor on the screen. Martha reached out and pushed a button, the picture becoming a video. 

For an indeterminate amount of time, they stood together and watched and listened as the man on the screen talked and talked about rules that they needed to follow while he was human. It struck Rose as a little odd that this had all been recorded in advance, though, it was quite like him to prepare for any situation; especially after the hologram message he’d left her before he regenerated. “Oh and, thank you.” He ended the video with a smile and the young woman realised that it was a sight she would likely miss in the coming months. 

“We need to get him outside before he wakes up. I think seeing The TARDIS would make things a little more difficult.” Rose agreed, putting her suitcase down and helping Martha to carry him out of The TARDIS and out of the barn, laying him on the grass outside. “We should probably just wait. I wonder how we fit in..” Martha wondered aloud and the two started up light conversation, curious about what would happen now. 

~~~

A while later, just as the sun was beginning to set, The Doctor awoke from whatever state he was in, a hand to his head. “What happened?” The male groaned, startling the two from their excited chatter. 

“Oh.. Hello there,” The young woman realised that in all of their talking, they had forgotten to come up with an excuse for why they were huddled outside of a barn. “We were walking for a while and you decided that it was best if we stopped for a rest,” Martha stopped holding in a breath and she nodded lightly at the younger woman so she decided to continue. “I think you bumped your head after you fell asleep.” Her whole dialect had to change to adapt to the time period and it was slightly unnerving. She was used to dropping letters and words however she realised that this was no longer a possibility.

“Ah, yes,” He mused, lowering his head as it remained in his hand. Already Rose could tell that this was a different man and it was slightly unnerving. “We exited the carriage and walked for a while towards the town, I remember now..” It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself of his own memory though she supposed that it was just a part of the integration. He stood up and picked up the suitcase that they had brought out for him. “We best be off. They’ll be expecting us.”

The first thing that struck Rose as odd was how he offered his arm to her. She hadn’t expected to hold hands with this ‘new’ man but then again she supposed that she didn’t know what to expect from him. He wasn’t her Doctor anymore. 

The second thing that struck her as odd was that she had no idea who ‘they’ were or where they were going. She supposed that they would just have to find out.


	2. Settle Down and Settle In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group get settled in at the school and Rose and Martha go for a walk to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back again! Please note that I won't be updating this as frequently; quarantine is giving me mega boredom lol
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy this next chapter! :)

The walk to town was filled with light conversation and knowing glances between the two women. This man, whoever he would turn out to be, was clearly caring at the very least and so Rose surmised that it would be hard not to notice similarities between him and The Doctor. Martha seemed to be thinking the same thing too if the slight furrow in her brow was anything to go by. After a while of walking and wishing a good evening to townsfolk as they passed through the village they came upon a long open road that led to a school. “Here we are!” The man announced. “Farringham Boarding School for Boys. I reckon we ought to do well here, don’t you agree, ladies?” The two women nodded softly. It was hard to know how to address him when they didn’t even know his name. He was a stranger to them, but they weren’t strangers to him. They knew nothing about this man but, well.. She didn’t know what he knew of them. They could be completely different people in his mind and he would definitely have different memories with them.

The first thing that Rose noticed as they entered the building was the smell of wood varnish and cleaning products as well as the faint scent of boy. It was a grand building with heavy stone and polished wood that was clearly cared for. She assumed that it was mainly to keep the reputation that a prestigious school should have but it looked pleasant all the same. “Very posh.” She mused under her breath, taking in the intricate details of the building.

“Quite,” The male agreed, thinking to himself. Already, he was such a mystery to her. “You, boy,” He called to a young man who was sitting and reading on a bench, approaching him while still arm-in-arm with Rose. “Tell me, where is the Headmaster’s office?” The young boy looked up from his book with nervousness in his eyes. Rose had learned to pick up on that sort of thing after their time travelling and though she assumed it was not because of an alien threat, it concerned her all the same. 

“Just down the hallway and on the right, sir.” 

“Very good,” The man started to walk away before pausing and turning back to the young man.

“What is your name?” 

“Latimer, Sir. T-Timothy Latimer.” 

There was a nod from the male as they started to walk away again. The male glanced at the blonde for a moment and Rose thought that he wanted to do something but he was holding himself back and she couldn’t tell why. The honey-coloured eyes that she could once read fairly well had now become a mystery to her once more. The gaze was soon gone though as his attention turned to the wooden door before them and after a breath, he knocked.

The door opened to reveal a balding and lanky man with glasses who looked exactly like the kind of man you would expect to be a headmaster. His eyes were stern and held behind rounded glasses and his face was worn with many years of frowning and stress. “Ah, You must be Mr. John Smith. Please, come in.” Rose and Martha followed along behind him, exchanging a glance with each other.

“Pleased to meet you, Headmaster. This is my housemaid, Martha Jones, and my beautiful wife, Rose Smith,” A fond smile was sent towards the blonde female and she noticed the warm swimming around in his eyes, the love directed towards her. She had to quickly mask her true expression of shock with one of pride that she hoped would be believable. He’d made her his wife in his mind? What would that mean for them both, for how she was to act? Another thing bothered her though. She sent a look of pity towards Martha for two reasons. The first being that she was going to have to act in the role of a housemaid and the second being that Rose was aware of how Martha felt for The Doctor so it must have been a stab in the heart to have been a lowly housemaid while Rose herself was to act as his wife.

The raven’s expression was also quickly schooled from anger, to shame to a pleasant smile but Rose could still see the pain that was hiding in her dark eyes. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I have to say, Mr. Smith, you came highly recommended from your previous work and therefore I have no doubt that you will do well here,” That must have been The TARDIS’ work in setting up their new lives and she made a mental note to thank her later. “Now, I understand that you have come quite far so I shan’t be keeping you long.” That much, at least, was a relief. Rose really needed to have a conversation with Martha. “Your room with Mrs. Smith has already been prepared and Miss. Jones’ has a place prepared in the servant’s quarters in the attic. There is a label by your door which is on the first floor. Now, I’ll leave you to settle in.” With a few words of thanks from each of them, they left the room and headed for the stairs.

“Martha, will you meet me once you have settled in? I would like to go for a walk with you,” The young woman remembered to school her language. No more slang, no more dropping letters. She appeared to be a woman of class and she had to come across that way. She also realised that in this era there was a lack of rights for women. “If that is alright with you, John?” She had to ask her husband for permission to go on a walk. That was something she didn’t like at all, especially when she had become so used to the freedom that she experienced on The TARDIS.

“Can I not accompany you myself?” His expression became that of a defeated puppy and Rose’s heart skipped a beat in response. He clearly wanted to spend some time with her which, in all fairness, was to be expected when they were married in his mind. 

She was struggling to come up with an excuse. Thank God for Martha. “Beg my pardon, Sir, but I assume she asked me so that she can discuss.. Women’s things.” She stressed the words lightly so that he would get the hint and it made Rose flush slightly but she thanked her for the excuse all the same. 

By the looks of it, John was just as embarrassed as she was. The tips of his ears had started to flush this adorable shade of pink, just like that time when-- no. He wasn’t The Doctor. He just looked like him. He cleared his throat. “Why, uhm, yes. Of course. See you in a while, Martha.” Rose and the woman nodded to each other before Martha disappeared up the stairs with her suitcase in hand. 

Rose turned to the door with ‘Mr. Smith’ written on a tag beside it and turned the knob, entering the room. It was quite small to house the both of them but it was no bother to her. She was used to sharing confined spaces with The Doctor by now and if John thought them married then it was only right that they shared such a space. The first thing that she noticed was the bed. There was only one, and though it wasn’t small, she knew that she would be expected to share it with him. There was a table and a chair and-- “Oh, John!” She cried in glee, putting her suitcase down and walking through the door to reveal a plethora of books. At least she would have something to keep her entertained. “There’s so much to read.”

His next question startled her slightly. “Do you think you’ll enjoy it here, Rose?” She turned back to him, watching as he placed his own suitcase down, a slight frown on his face and worry clear in his eyes. “I know you thought that it would be a good idea to come here but the last thing I wish for is for you to be unhappy for my sake.” He came forwards and engulfed her in a warm hug, placing a gentle kiss to her head. She assumed that this was commonplace for them in his mind, so she went along with it. She had to be a loving wife now.

A soft sigh was released against him. “I think I will. The townspeople seem friendly and it seems like there will be a lot that I can do to keep myself busy. Don’t worry about me. We’ll always be alright, won’t we?” She could feel his gentle smile against her head and it was moments before he pulled away just enough to look at her, eyes dancing with light.

“How is it that you always manage to say the right thing? You truly are wonderful, Rose,” He pressed a tender kiss to her nose and she knew that she would have to get used to such affection from the man. The Doctor had been affectionate with her, of course, but never like this. They would cuddle, hug and exchange the odd kiss on the cheek but they’d never been like this. “What did I do to deserve you?” 

She had to think of wifely words, and she had to start thinking like that all the time from now on. “You were yourself. That’s all I ever needed.” And it was true, in a way. Not for John Smith, of course, but for the man whose body he inhabited. He had only ever needed to be himself. If she could cope with regeneration then she could cope with this. 

~~~

It took time for them to finish unpacking but she didn’t particularly mind, not at all. Conversation, though light, seemed to flow easily between them and it was friendly all the same. She didn’t know what he expected of her but she hoped that she could at least try and live up to those expectations. She had just settled onto the couch when a knock sounded at the door. “That must be Martha.” John voiced, sounding a little disappointed. She tried not to look too deeply into it. 

“It must.” As she was making her way to the door, he stopped her and pulled her into his arms, holding her comfortably. Hugs between her and The Doctor were nothing new, they’d hugged in all types of ways, but this for some reason felt more charged. 

He sighed as he kissed her head, pulling away so that honey could meet hazel. “Promise me that you’ll be safe and that you’ll stay by Martha’s side. I trust you both, I trust you, but I’d hate for anything to happen to you, my love.” She tried to ignore the flutter in her heart at that voice saying those words as their eyes locked together. Their souls were bared to each other and yet it felt just as normal as holding hands ever did. 

She sighed softly, a faint smile coming to her face as she ignored the butterflies in her stomach that seemed to stem from his undivided attention. “I promise, John. I shall be safe, and I’ll return to you soon.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek just as another knock sounded on the door. He released her and she instantly missed the warmth he provided her with, his scent and his general proximity. Just as she was about to turn to leave, he took her hand and placed a tender kiss to the soft skin there, mumbling a goodbye before he walked away. 

The young woman opened the door to be greeted with the sight of a disgruntled Martha. A look shared between them said more than words could while people could hear them, and with a goodbye to her ‘husband’, she left with the housemaid. 

They walked together around the school until there was nobody around where the older woman let out an annoyed groan. “We’re barely 24 hours in and I’m already annoyed. He couldn’t have made me something more than just a housemaid, could he?” The younger woman sighed. She felt Martha’s pain a little. It felt wrong that her role was that of a servant while Rose got to live the life of a middle class wife.

“I know, Martha. I’m sorry. Is there any way I can help? I feel a bit rubbish about it. You deserve better than to be spending your time cleaning up after snobby rich boys.” A little laugh left Martha’s lips at that, at least. 

“Books. Just, sneak me something to read? Medical journals or anything like that. I feel like I’m gonna go mad if I’m not keeping my brain alive.” 

Rose understood that feeling quite well. When she dropped out of school, for bloody Jimmy Stones of all people, she felt like she was going to go mad with a lack of education. She felt similarly when she spent her time doing nothing but working at Henrick’s. The Doctor soon changed all of that, and now he was gone again. “You don’t deserve to be a housemaid, Martha. Is it too late to switch positions?” She joked softly. She knew that the other woman would do anything for that. “You’re so much smarter than I am.” 

The darker woman turned to her with a frown, a motherly look in her eyes. “Now, don’t talk about yourself like that. The Doctor wouldn’t have brought you along if he thought you were stupid. He wouldn’t..” The rest of that sentence was best left unfinished.

“Nor would he you. I just wish you were in a better position. Especially with..” How to say this without being offensive. 

“Because I’m black?” The raven asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

“Yeah, that.” She felt a blush rise to her cheeks. The colour of Martha’s skin didn’t matter to her, not in the slightest, but voicing it was something she tried to avoid simply because it didn’t matter to her. She’d met people who were blue and green, skin colour just didn’t matter. A good heart was all that mattered, and that’s what Martha had.

“It’s alright, Rose. And you’re not wrong. I know this isn’t going to be easy at all. I’ve already heard a few whispers but it doesn’t really matter. We’re here to keep The Doctor safe.” 

She felt bad all the same. “That doesn’t mean you don’t deserve better.” A hum from the woman said that she agreed.

“I do have just one question though,” Rose raised an eyebrow at her and Martha smiled at her for the first time in hours. “Why ‘John Smith’ of all names?” 

Rose couldn’t help but giggle a little. “I think it’s a subconscious thing. One time we were undercover at a school-- weird, I know, and he used the same name then. I met a woman while we were there. She was called Sarah-Jane Smith and she said that back when she used to travel with ‘im, he used to use that name.” Martha nodded along with her.

“If that’s subconscious then what else is?” Rose tried not to think about that very much,

“Feel any better?”

Martha took a deep breath before she released it. They’d been walking for quite a while now and darkness was starting to fall over the sky. “Yeah. Thank you. I’m sure things will be a lot better the more we settle in.” Some part of Rose knew that she was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya there, my blue roses! I hope you're well. Please let me know what you think in the comments and give me any pointers if you feel so inclined. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope to see you soon! :)))
> 
> ~BlueBoxInTheDarkSky


	3. Peace and Homeliness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose starts to come to terms with her situation and remembers a little
> 
> (I'm so bloody bad at these, I do apologise XD)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, fellow Whovians! My apologies for taking so long to update. I also don't really know where I was heading with this chapter and I really don't think it's too good but I'm posting it regardless because why not
> 
> Regardless, please enjoy this lowkey mess <3

Once Rose returned from her walk with Martha, the reality of the situation settled into her mind. She was so used to running about with The Doctor and doing stupid things on mad adventures but.. Here she was, stuck in 1913 with a man who resembled the person she loved and taking the slow path with him. It wasn’t exactly what she imagined when she’d hopped back into The TARDIS with him, or even when they’d invited Martha aboard, but it was happening nonetheless. 

Then the other reality began to set in. They were married in his mind; that meant that there were things to be expected of her, especially in this time period. The thought made a blush rise to her cheeks. She’d shared a bed with him before, but never as John Smith and his wife Rose. Never as anything more than friends. Would he.. Would he expect more of her? In all honesty, she hoped not. If he wasn’t her Doctor, then she didn’t want him. Not like that.

Courtesy was never her best area, nor was it one that always came natural to her when she was out of her time, so when she approached the door to what was now their shared room she settled for a knock. “Come in!” Voiced the man on the other end, and when she entered she witnessed The Do-- John sat at the desk surrounded by papers, glasses perched upon his nose. A soft sigh left his lips as he removed the frames from his face and folded them before placing them atop the desk. “How many times, Rose? You are my wife, there is no need for you to knock.” Even though his voice was somewhat scolding, the glint in his eyes was full of love and Rose had to ask herself whether that was real or just a part of John’s character.

Rose sighed in return. At least that had never changed. She would often knock when The Doctor was in the library, just because it was polite (and that was the closest thing he had to a room, as far as she knew) and he always told her that she would never need to knock. Not her. “Sorry, John. Old habits.” She mused, removing her coat and hanging it on the coat rack. The male stood from his seat and made his way over to her before placing a tender kiss to her head. The normalcy of it almost shook her.

“You gave things up to be here with me, Rose. This is as much your room as it is mine. I want you to feel safe here and even if.. Even if by name you are here because of me, I want for you to feel at home here. With me.” His words felt like warm hands holding her heart. When she boarded The TARDIS, even with this regeneration, she’d never heard anything like that even if the meaning was hidden beneath his words but.. This didn’t feel like any façade and a part of her allowed herself to hope that it was what The Doctor really felt. 

She felt bad that a part of her said that she was just playing along with this façade his mind had created however another part of her knew that this wasn’t purely just playing along but also her finally showing him how she truly felt; expressing it to him in ways that she never could when he was himself. His hands rested upon her shoulders and the way he looked at her was so pure and full of adoration that it almost hurt her simply because he wasn’t him. “I always feel at home with you. I would have thought that was obvious by now.” She joked lightly and again she realised that she wasn’t lying in the slightest. She always had felt at home with him and not just on The TARDIS. Even when they were trapped behind bars on the most foreign planets she somehow still felt at home purely because she was with him.

He pulled her into a tight hug, them both swaying slightly and Rose couldn’t help but indulge herself in it. He still felt like himself and still smelt like The Doctor so strongly that her head almost span with how much she missed him already even though, technically, he was right here with her. Even back when he was unconscious in her mum’s flat it still felt like he was there even though he was sort of gone and completely changed. She supposed that in a way this was similar to then but also not at all. “I could never have married anybody but you, Rose Marion Smith. And words cannot describe my state of ecstasy from you joining me in this adventure.” She tried to not let those words hurt her. They were spoken in The Doctor’s voice, more or less, and with a tone that was so sincere that she almost felt bad that they weren’t actually married.

“You act as if I could have ever chosen anybody else, John. As if there was ever any other person who I could love like I love you.” She supposed that she could say what she truly felt without consequences; she knew not whether he would remember any of this but she knew that she had to play along either way. 

The last thing she expected was for him to pick her up and carry her over to one of the chairs before kneeling at her feet and pressing a tender kiss to her hand. Maybe her heart was hurting after all. “I feel as if I could ask for your hand in marriage a thousand times over. I really am grateful that you chose to come here with me. I cannot thank you enough.” 

Rose shook her head. “I am your wife, am I not? I would follow you anywhere.” Whether she was actually his wife or not, she would certainly follow him anywhere. She pretty much had already. She’d followed him to distant planets and unexplored times. They’d been to hell and back, almost literally, and she would do it all again.

“And you are so fantastic,” Another stab to the heart that he had no idea he caused. For a brief moment, he sounded just like her first Doctor. He chuckled lightly and rose from his spot on the floor and Rose realised that she could breathe again, not even realising that she’d held her breath in the first place. “Supper should be here soon.”

She hummed softly as he sat in the chair beside her and once again she was at a slight loss because she didn’t exactly know how it was appropriate to act with him. She was so used to sharing space with him that it felt more natural than anything but now she didn’t know if even holding his hand would be improper. They often spent evenings on The TARDIS (well, she supposed that it wasn’t really evening) holding hands as they talked for hours on end and it was always far more intimate than it had any right to be but now it was hard to have a conversation with a man who had no idea who he really was and that she didn’t share any actual memories with. 

“What do you think of this place so far then, my love?” Rose sucked in a small breath at his words. She knew that he was only saying that because he believed that they were married however a part of her held out hope that a part of this was how The Doctor really felt. It also made her smile a little because he cared about what she thought and she knew that, especially in this time period, he really didn’t have to care.

Rose gave him a smile, hoping that it wasn’t as tight as she felt it was. “I like it, I think. At least, it’s very beautiful for a school. The gardens are quite something.” Their room wasn’t too bad either. To say it was just a teacher’s quarters in a boarding school, it felt surprisingly homely. Though, she supposed anything was homely in comparison to a dungeon.

They talked for a while until their food came and then they proceeded to eat in a comfortable silence and Rose allowed herself to think a little about what the future may hold for them both. She was certain that The Doctor’s plan would work because she always had faith in him but in the meantime she had to act like a good 1913 housewife and bite her tongue far more than she was used to. Even in this sort of time period she usually felt no need to hold back her words or act all proper because they were never around long enough for her to get into any trouble for it (that and they were usually busy defending people from some alien threat or helping an alien to go home) but now, if she were to even speak without permission then it would reflect badly upon John and she could definitely suffer actual consequences. 

Her heart ached for more than just herself though. Even though there were people of colour walking around England even in Shakespear’s time, that didn’t mean that racism wasn’t still a big issue. If it was an issue in 2007 then she couldn’t imagine how Martha felt right now. If Rose failed to bite her tongue then the most she was likely to get was a threat however Martha could lose her job or even get hurt. It made no sense to her, especially when she had met people who were blue and green, but to her 1913 was basically the dark ages. She sighed softly as she ate, fork poking at her food. Martha never needed sticking up for because she could most definitely handle herself however Rose made a mental note to look out for her a little more. No matter the situation, Martha was always her friend and had had her back too many a time to count. It was the least she could do. 

“Penny for your thoughts, my dear?” John asked, face contorted into an expression of concern and worry. Rose supposed that at the very least, he genuinely cared.

“Do you think Martha will be okay here? I know full well that she’s not some weak damsel but.. I also know that people aren’t always the kindest to her just because of the colour of her skin.” 

He sighed. “Of course you’re worried about her, Rose. You have a heart of diamond,” He smiled slightly at her though that smile was short-lived. “You must remember though that she has never been afraid to stand her ground, even when she most likely should not have done. Formidable, that’s Martha,” He smiled a little more, as if remembering however his eyes seemed to dull a little and he seemed almost lost before he blinked and came back to reality. “But she is also just a member of the housekeeping staff. It is unlikely that she will be anything more than invisible.” She could not tell if he meant that in a positive way or not. 

“Invisible or not, she is still our friend. I cannot bear the thought of anyone being disrespectful towards her here.” He sighed and put his fork to rest upon the table. 

“Martha has always been a force to be reckoned with, Rose. I am certain that she can handle herself. And, well.. I also trust that she will confide in you if she feels the need to do so. You care for her as much as she does you. And I’m glad you have each other here too, Rose. She will also look out for you.” 

Rose sighed a little defeatedly and a little in relief. She supposed that he was right. They had never not been there for each other before and she supposed there would never be a time when they would not have each other’s backs. 

For the rest of the early evening they continued to talk about this and that, talking about anything that came to mind and Rose felt soothed far more than she should have done considering that she was practically in the company of a stranger with a familiar face. He was funny and charming in the same way that her Doctor was so much so that she kept having to remind herself that he was in fact a different person with different memories. 

By the time that night rolled around, she was aware that they would have to get ready for bed. He rose from his seat with a yawn, stretching dramatically. His deep brown eyes were tired in a way that Rose rarely saw in the Doctor and it was endearing to see him so human, even if technically he now was. “Time for bed now, don’t you think?” And suddenly Rose was nervous. Would she have to undress in front of him? She noticed the partition and sighed a little in relief, “I have hung up your gowns and the such for you. Nightclothes are in the drawers.” She made her way over to the drawers and pulled one out, going behind the partition to change and throwing the top layer of her clothing atop the partition before removing her underthings. She laughed a little to herself as she wondered what she would do when her period came around but she supposed she could find that out within the next few weeks. She slipped on the nightgown and smoothed it down. She always liked period clothing because it was always so intricate and beautiful in a way that clothing from the 2000s just wasn’t. 

When Rose returned from behind the partition she noticed how John was now in his night robe and she couldn’t help but giggle softly to herself. This was the closest she’d seen the Doctor to being in a dress and he looked sort of cute, in a way. “As beautiful as ever.” He praised and once again she felt her cheeks flush in response to his compliment, thanking him under her breath. She made her way into the bathroom to brush her teeth and use the bathroom before settling into bed as John did the same. She was actually pretty tired herself considering the emotionally exhausting day she’d had. She’d both lost her best friend and married a man on the same day. She snorted to herself. In all honesty, that sounded like the description of a day for the Doctor. How they’d both get lost in some market on a far away planet and he’d find Rose as he ran to The TARDIS to escape from some marriage he’d accidentally agreed to. When John came back, Rose was exhausted from her own thoughts and more than welcomed his arms around her when he slipped into bed. 

“Goodnight, Rose.” He mumbled as he pressed a kiss into her hair, giving her a little squeeze. 

“Night, John..” And within moments, she was asleep.

~~~

When she awoke again it was to arms wrapped around her torso and a soft snoring sound coming from above her as her head rested on his chest. Despite the situation she found herself in, she was surprisingly calm; after all, she was resting in the arms of the man she loved. Well, more or less. She supposed that being with John wasn’t so bad because he wasn’t completely different to The Doctor that she’d come to love and she didn’t just mean because he was in his body. The way he smiled, the light in his eyes, his attitude in general.. Even though she was sure her heart would hurt, she knew that she had to look after him, even if he didn’t know that. She sighed to herself and allowed herself to nuzzle into him just a little only to hear a chuckle from above her. She guessed that she’d gotten so deep in thought that she hadn’t heard him awaken.

“Good morning, Rosie.” He spoke, voice gruff with sleep. Rose couldn’t help but smile a little.

“Morning, John.” In all honesty, she didn’t really want to move when she was so comfortable in his arms but right now she didn’t really have to. They could relax like this for a while longer and she was more than content with that. 

“Did you rest well?” The hand around her back pulled her closer, just a little, and she closed her eyes with a relaxed smile. She’d never had this sort of contact with The Doctor, so she’d take it now. 

“I did, thank you. I can’t help but feel bad for laying on you though.” She laughed lightly, going to move away a little so that she wasn’t crushing him only to be pulled back to him.   
When she gazed up at him with her tired eyes, she felt her heart swell with the sight of him smiling so adoringly at her. “I am more than happy to be your mattress, Rose. I’m happy as long as you’re comfortable.” She could never be the kind of woman to dismiss such honesty and once again her mind pondered if this was simply John’s character or actually The Doctor’s true feelings making themselves known.

After a while longer of cuddling, there was a knock at the door and Rose was quick to sit up. “Come in!” Her husband (and wow, if that notion wasn’t a strange one) shouted and it was moments before Martha walked through the door looking flustered and holding a tea tray.

“Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” She huffed, gently placing the tray down onto the reading table between their chairs. 

“Are you quite alright, Martha? You seem out of sorts.” John asked, smoothing back his wily morning hair. 

“Just a little rushed this morning. I’m really not used to this.” She let out a harsh breath and Rose got up from the bed, making her way over to her to rub her back a little. 

“Do you wanna sit down for a minute?” She asked her friend, deciding to make them all a cuppa. She didn’t need to act all posh half as much when she was around.

“Yeah, thanks.” Rose noticed the strange looks that John was giving her and reasoned that it was because Martha was staff and yet Rose herself was doing the pouring.

Martha took a seat in one of the chairs and Rose decided to join her once she handed John his tea. She hoped she’d gotten it right. “How was your night then? Did you sleep okay?” The older woman smiled at her in what Rose supposed was relief. 

“The bed wasn’t the best but we’ve slept on worse,” She laughed lightly and John seemed to be in a world of his own. “I made a friend though, I think.” 

And for the next half hour or so, the three chatted about simple things in a way that Rose had forgotten. She’d not done this sort of thing since back when she lived on the estate, not like this, but it was a nice sense of home in the midst of the madness. Martha told them how she’d spent the evening chatting to Jenny, one of the other maids, and how she’d even offered to take her down the pub. It seemed as though they all really were settling in so far and Rose couldn’t help but be happy with that. Even if this wouldn’t last forever, she allowed herself to enjoy the moment with two people she cared about dearly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello again! I hope that that wasn't too bad lol
> 
> I also must say that I quite struggled writing this chapter as I wanted to once again discuss the racism that is par for the course with the era. I have to confess that I am Caucasian and so can never truly do justice to the severity of the topic and I am not well-versed on writing the complex issues of people of colour as I will never experience that prejudice or discrimination. 
> 
> Even in works such as these, I believe it is important to discuss racism especially when even over 100 years later it is still a large issue that impacts millions of people. 
> 
> I also want to do the characters justice and discuss their complex issues in this form. I am also not a woman, so discussing the issues that women experience because of their gender is also not something that I am well-versed in
> 
> Long story short; I know I cannot truly understand the issues of racism and sexism and I will never be able to properly represent them however I will try my best. 
> 
> I am very aware that this chapter was just brain-spew as I really wanted to write this chapter however I've been dissociating the entire time and that's probably why I'm still rambling and holy shit I should probably shut up right about now.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you at least mildly enjoyed this chapter and I hope that you have a good day/night. Much love, my blue roses <3

**Author's Note:**

> Well hello there! I hope you are enjoying this fic. I plan on writing more, and I hope that you enjoyed it! Please leave a comment and kudos if you feel the need to do so. Constructive criticism is welcome as long as you're nice lol. Have a wonderful day! :)
> 
> ~BlueBoxInTheDarkSky


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